For more than a quarter of a century, Heritage and the Long Beach Coin Expo have combined talents and resources to present the Official Signature auctions – a long history of cooperation and success, and this is continuing with our current offerings scheduled for June 8-11 in Long Beach and through HA.com. At last count, we are getting close to our 50th Long Beach U.S. Coins Signature auction in all. Four floor sessions include a high-value Premier Session on Thursday June 8 with a 6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) start.
Gold is among the most active market segments, and the current auction has gold galore:
- A Kellogg & Humbert gold ingot tips the scale at a hefty 107.76 ounces. This is a massive and highly attractive ingot from the historic (and ongoing) SS Central America salvage effort.
- A high-end, Choice Uncirculated 1907 Wire Rim $10 gold piece represents Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ intended design. Graded MS64+ PCGS Secure with CAC endorsement, this is a smooth near-Gem example.
- Other important gold lots include a 1921 double eagle in MS62 PCGS – a major series rarity at that grade – plus a tremendous run of Carson City double eagles from multiple consignors.
The Faris Collection deserves special mention here. This compact consignment of six gold coins appears in the Premier Session, including an impressive 1808 quarter eagle certified XF45 PCGS (lot ID 104002), an essential one-year type and an important collector-grade coin for quarter eagle specialists. Also needed for type, a 1796 No Stars on Obverse quarter eagle grades AU50 PCGS (lot ID 104001) with nice luster remaining. A very scarce 1833 quarter eagle certified AU58 PCGS (104005) has excellent color and reflective fields – one of fewer than 80 examples of the issue believed extant.
We have handled several important consignments of U.S. patterns in recent events, and Long Beach is no exception. Many rare patterns are included, including some lots that are, we believe, pedigreed to the historic Farouk holdings and other fine collections. Highlights are numerous, such as:
- An 1871 Indian Princess quarter dollar struck in silver, Judd-1093, PR64 PCGS with CAC, with starless field and the date in exergue – William Barber’s posthumous redesign after Longacre’s death.
- A pair of silver dollar patterns struck in aluminum: 1885 Snowden dollar, Judd-1749, certified PR65 PCGS with experimental edge lettering, low R.7, and an 1875 Commercial Trade dollar, Judd-1425, graded PR66 Cameo PCGS, one of only two known examples struck in the off-metal aluminum.
- A rare 1874 half eagle struck in copper, Ex: Bass, Judd-1371, certified PR64 Red and Brown, one of only two or three examples known and R.8 on the rarity scale.
U.S. Colonials include several rare issues:
- A Gem Mint State 1652 Pine Tree shilling, Noe-7 – we believe the finest of 11 known examples – struck on a Large Planchet, No Pellets at Trunk, graded MS65 PCGS with CAC endorsement. This is a quintessential Colonial coin (Ex: Clapp, Wurtzbach, Clarke, Boyd, and Ford-Manley), plated in Wurtzbach.
- A 1787 Hercules Head Connecticut copper, Miller 7-I, W-2830, R.6, certified MS62 Brown NGC. Our cataloger (Mark Borckardt) states: “there is no question that this example is far finer than any others that are known to us.”
- The finest-known Ryder 4-D 1788 Massachusetts cent certified MS65 Brown NGC, sharply struck with the Arrows in Left Talon. Finer than the Partrick MS64 Brown coin, which was exceptional in its own right.
Silver type is seemingly immune to most market fluctuations, especially among the early issues and key dates and Mints. Be sure to check out these lots:
- An attractive and rare 1794 Flowing Hair half dollar, O-107 (T-5), a scarce die pairing in a Choice collector grade of Fine 15 PCGS.
- A 1797 Draped Bust dime, JR-2, 13 Stars obverse, one of perhaps just three Mint State pieces known, certified MS62 PCGS.
- An 1852 Seated quarter in the remarkable grade of MS66 PCGS, a satiny and richly toned example, with just one piece finer in the combined population reports.
- An 1889-CC Morgan dollar in the high grade of MS64 NGC – a great rarity in near-Gem condition.
Bidding is simple before the auction and instantaneous during the sale, wherever you are in the world. Bidding is open now at www.HA.com/Coins!